Gold Jewellery New Zealand

What does 9k, 18k or 24k mean?

Just as gold comes in various colours, it also comes in different purities. The fineness (purity) of the gold is measured in caratage (carat/ct or karat/k, as used in the USA), the term used to describe how pure the gold metal is, not to be confused with carats, the unit of measurement for diamonds and gemstones.

Pure gold is 24 carats, very soft and generally unsuitable for use in jewellery, unless combined with an alloy. The carat indicates how many parts out of 24 in the gold alloy are gold. So, 24k gold is 24/24 parts gold (in other words, pure gold), and 18k gold is 18/24 parts pure gold and 6/24 parts other metal. The more alternative metals added to pure gold, the lower the carat. The majority of our gold jewellery is available in 9k gold.